Scrapbook
by SimplyCharmed94
Summary: Life used to be wonderful until Voldemort became powerful. Every precious moment was treasured. Family ties were strong and friends were close. Then everything came apart. All that was left were the memories. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!


**Title: **Scrapbook

**Author: **SimplyCharmed94

**Rating: **K

**Summary: **Life used to be wonderful until Voldemort became powerful. Every precious moment was treasured. Family ties were strong and friends were close. Then everything came apart. All that was left were the memories. And in a certain case, a scrapbook. A scrapbook that would help you remember what it was like before. A scrapbook that would make you want to go back.

**Pairing: **Harry/Ginny

*

A leather-bound scrapbook with engraved roses on the cover caught my eye as I was looking through old boxes. The cover was worn, and it indeed looked very old. _That's because it is,_ I reminded myself, unable to take my eyes off it. I wanted nothing more than to grab that scrapbook and start ruffling through its many pages, but then it would bring back memories--good memories that would make me want to return to the time that the pictures were taken. I would just be taunting myself; nevertheless, I found myself reaching for the scrapbook.

I stared at the scrapbook in my hands for a moment before opening it. Tears threatened to spill out of my eyes when I noticed that the first picture was one with me and my parents. I looked like I was about a year old in the picture; I only had tufts of ginger red hair. My father was grinning, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses, and my mother had a beautiful smile on her worn-looking face. My father reached up to slide his glasses up his nose every few seconds and my mother bounced me on her lap while I giggled. I smiled at the moving people in the picture. They looked happy, and they were unaware of what a powerful, evil wizard was planning. I flipped a couple of pages absentmindedly as I was thinking about the end of the war. So many people had died, before and during the Final Battle. They hadn't lived to see the defeat of the darkest wizard in history.

I looked down at the scrapbook and sighed slightly as I saw the picture. It was a picture of me, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. It must've been taken in my fifth year, because Harry's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Dumbledore's death had affected all of us greatly, but Harry was very close to him. We looked exhausted, but happy in the picture. I snorted as I remembered that we were just putting on happy faces, trying not to worry everyone with how much we were suffering. Well, mostly Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Not so much for me.

I turned a couple of more pages and scanned the pictures. Most of them were just stupid pictures that I didn't really care about. I was looking for the important pictures. The pictures that I'll treasure forever due to the losses in the war.

I gasped slightly as I found one. It was a picture of me, Ron, Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George. Fred and George were pulling my hair playfully as I was swatting at them. Ron was laughing while Bill and Charlie conversed. Percy, at that point, was still acting like a big git because of his employment with Fudge, so his arrogant self was missing from the picture. This picture was taken in my sixth year; I could tell because George had his ear missing. When we were trying to transport Harry to a safe location on the night of his seventeenth birthday, George had his ear cut off by a Death Eater. _And Fred was still alive,_ I thought to myself. In the Final Battle, which had taken place at Hogwarts, Fred was killed along with Lupin and Tonks. It was the horrible death of Lupin and Tonks that left their infant son, Teddy, an orphan. But of course, his grandmother, Andromeda, took good care of him. _That was ironic, _I thought wryly to myself. _History seems to be repeating itself. _

I turned another page and found a picture of Bill and Fleur's wedding. Mum (with help) had fixed up Bill's face; you could hardly see the scars given to him by Greyback. Fleur looked beautiful in her simple wedding gown; she seemed to emit a strange glow. The rest of us were in the next couple of pictures of the wedding: Ron and Hermione dancing (Ron had his hands around Hermione's waist, looking bashful); Luna dancing alone (I had to fight the urge to laugh at this one); Harry, Ron and Hermione; Harry and I; and various members of my family.

I scanned the next couple of pages and my heart almost stopped when I saw one certain picture. It was a picture of Fred (one of the few snapshots of him without George), put in that certain spot to mark his death and to remember him by. It felt like an icy hand had grabbed my heart and squeezed it tightly. My eyes welled up and tears started making their way down my cheeks. I slammed the scrapbook shut and threw it across the wall, causing a bang that echoed throughout the attic. I hugged my knees to my chest and started sobbing. The scrapbook was both a blessing and a curse. It brought back good memories, but the unfortunate ones as well.

I hardly noticed when two strong arms pulled me off the floor and into a loving embrace. I was too numb with emotion to notice anything, really. I finally looked up when I heard my name being softly whispered. There was Harry, my husband, hugging me, telling me everything was going to be all right. _No, everything is not going to be all right, _I thought to myself, my pessimistic side taking over.I sniffled and looked at him, my vision blurry.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft as he gently squeezed me. His emerald eyes searched my own as he tried to find the source of my pain.

Instead of speaking, I gestured towards the scrapbook that lay forgotten in a heap on the floor. Harry's eyes searched my own brown ones and he seemed to understand. I started sobbing again, and I buried my head in his chest. He murmured loving words to me as he rubbed my back, telling me that he would always be there for me.

My sobs finally subsided and I reluctantly pulled myself out of his strong, warm embrace. Even though I couldn't see myself, I knew that my face was blotchy and crimson-colored. "It made me remember," I whispered in a watery voice, tears swimming in my eyes and threatening to spill over, "It make me want to reverse time so I could change everything. All those people shouldn't have died, and their families shouldn't have been broken-up just because of that heartless _bastard_!"

Harry was quiet as he took in my words. After a moment, he gently pulled me off the floor and led me downstairs, supporting me most of the way. He whipped out his wand and muttered a spell, causing two steaming-hot cups of tea to appear on the coffee table. He then grabbed a blanket and draped it over my shoulders, gesturing for me to drink up. I shakily reached out my hands and grabbed the porcelain cup. I took a gulp of the hot tea and then stared into my mug, my expression stoic. Harry allowed me to collect my thoughts before he spoke.

"I know it's hard," he began, sounding uncertain about his own words, "but we have to get through this. Fred, Remus, Tonks, and all the others would want you to move on," he said quietly. He gently squeezed my shoulder and gave me a lopsided smile. "Be strong for them."

"I miss them," I whispered as I inched closer to Harry. He pulled me into a hug, making me feel a tiny bit better. "I _know_ they'd want us to move on, but it's just so hard. My own brother, Harry!"

Harry was once again silent for a couple of minutes. He was gazing into the crackling fire and seemed to be deep in thought. I internally shouted at myself for being an insensitive fool. _He lost more than I did, _I mused. _He lost his parents and his childhood. _I was grateful when he turned his attention back to me a few minutes later. "Ginny, we should take a look at that scrapbook." he said, his eyes boring into mine.

I cringed and gave him a pleading look. "No, I can't…"

"C'mon," he insisted as he pulled me up again. He led me back to the attic and ignored my protests. I tried to get away, but his strong grasp kept me in place. Harry finally grew tired with my thrashing and put his hands on my shoulders, steering me so he could look me in the face. "Ginny, let me explain. You should look at that scrapbook because it'll give you a chance to let out your emotions." His voice grew soft, and he added, "You'll finally be able to move on and put this at rest. It's over and done with, and you're only hurting yourself by dwelling on it."

Harry's eyes looked into mine, and for a moment it felt like he was staring into my soul. I closed my eyes and a tear slowly ran down my cheek. Seeing this, Harry ran his thumb across my cheek and wiped it away, then softly kissed me. I opened my eyes and smiled slightly, whispering, "All right, I'll do it." He merely nodded, then led me over to the scrapbook, which was still in same position we left it in.

"Are you ready, Ginny?" asked Harry, his voice soft. I felt my heartbeat quicken and I swallowed loudly. I couldn't bring myself to speak, so I just squeezed his hand and nodded. Harry sighed as he picked up the scrapbook and placed it in my sweaty hands. "Everything will be better after this, I promise."

I gripped the scrapbook tightly in my hands. I stole a glance at Harry, and he nodded his head energetically, encouraging me. "It'll all be fine…" I whispered to myself. I leaned in closer to the book as I opened the cover, ready to put the past behind me, ready to start a new life, ready to let those who are at rest finally rest in peace. And most of all, I was ready to dive into a past full of painful memories.


End file.
